If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Underwater 4x5 Photography Kickstarter

Hey Bryan...this might be more of a "phase two" consideration (more $$ needed) - but I believe that Linhof created a motorized 4x5 back a few years back, and this (underwater LF rig) would seem like an obvious application for this device. You think? Perhaps Kaleb is already aware of this - but maybe you could run this by him to make sure.

Re: Underwater 4x5 Photography Kickstarter

Ah yes, I seem to remember something about that. I wonder what such a device would cost these days, on the used market of course? I will mention it to him. I know I suggested a Grafmatic but the issue of course is manipulating it underwater.

Re: Underwater 4x5 Photography Kickstarter

Bob S can tell us about the 4x5 motor drive, but I think it was quite large and powered by 110V.

An alternative to use a Grafmatic is to have the back 'gloved', such as those boxes used in labs. The same could be used with a 6cm X 12cm roll-film back. Keeping the interior in a partial vacuum will help. A simple capped schrader valve and economical pump to create the vacuum before diving would do.

A lens I recommend is a 75mm Biogon mainly because it has good performance wide-open, and wide is preferable underwater. I know no other wide lens that would perform better.

Re: Underwater 4x5 Photography Kickstarter

I believe the other issue with the Grafmatic was the amount of travel the darkslide had to make. 4-5 more inches to the right for clearance means a bigger box, more weight needed due to more air in the box, etc.

Re: Underwater 4x5 Photography Kickstarter

Originally Posted by Corran

I believe the other issue with the Grafmatic was the amount of travel the darkslide had to make. 4-5 more inches to the right for clearance means a bigger box, more weight needed due to more air in the box, etc.

Another argument to use a 6cm x 12cm back with the earlier gloves idea.
.

Re: Underwater 4x5 Photography Kickstarter

Use a strobe, don't stirr up the bottom and you only get one shot per dive.....ok. I see the hard part being the subject management and focus. Cock the shutter, close the lens, pull the dark slide, load the camera in the housing and go for a swim.

The viz doesn't "get bad" deep (unless the bottom is stirred up)....the daylight falls off and most of the light is blue at depth. Shallow warm water is clear and with enough light is can easily be shot hand held (no long exposures or tripod needed). Closer is better and subject to camera distance does matter but, some of my favorite UW digi photos were normal to long lenses used close with a strobe. The water needs to be clear for wide FL anything UW (unless you are going for that effect). I think it's cool and I'd take my press camera for a swim....If I had one of those housings for it..........

Originally Posted by LabRat

Not new... I remember reading that advertising shoots U/W during the 50's/60's sometimes were 4X5 (and I'm sure the Navy did plenty)... And some earlier Geographic shoots were done with a cast iron housing with a 3 color camera inside... But in general, visibility is generally reduced everywhere from, say the 50's/60's when there was less of mankind's effect on the underwater environment...

But a short, wide FL to minimize the distance between camera + subject reduces the turbidity effect and makes focus much less critical... And it's easier to swim around with a smaller camera and find the best scenes... (Many/most U/W shooting locations are like shooting through varying levels of fog, so closer is better...)

Re: Underwater 4x5 Photography Kickstarter

I contributed. It feels like a lot of under water photography provides a Wow!-sensation for 5 seconds and then quickly drops into the category of too-much-too-similar. This project has the potential for something much more interesting.

The only things that bothers me is that almost all pledges are "USA Only". As shipping fees can be added on top of the pledges automatically based on country, this "USA Only" feels like an ill tempered statement more than anything else.

Edit: Kaleb Foshee updated the text in his campaign with the following text "For those of you outside of the United States if requested I can add the shipping cost to your location for rewards. I initially did not do this because the costs increase exponentially with the sizes."